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Jordan Rossiter has got what it takes

Jordan Rossiter has been described as a ‘pleasure to work with’ by Liverpool coach Alex Inglethorpe.

The 16-year-old served up a man-of-the-match display at Anfield on Monday night as the under-21’s lost 2-1 to Reading.

Rossiter, one of the Academy’s most promising players, earned a call-up to Brendan Rodgers’ first-team squad in December for the Premier League game at Chelsea.

U21s boss Inglethorpe said Rossiter took the selection in his stride and has praised the way the Everton Valley lad has remained grounded despite his rapid rise through the ranks.

“I think the biggest compliment I can pay Jordan is that he was exactly the same when he came back to the U21 squad,” Inglethorpe said.

“That’s where he sets his standards every day and it is easy for him to go to Melwood because that’s how he trains all the time.

“He doesn’t necessarily have to look to up his game because he always shows 100% effort and commitment.”

Inglethorpe added: “He’s getting better all the time. He’s a pleasure to work with and is someone who dedicates himself and works ever so hard. He listens and learns and I don’t think there will be many first-year scholars who play a full season in the under-21s. That is some achievement.”

The young Reds were hoping to close the gap on U21 Premier League leaders Fulham this week.

Despite levelling the game through Jordan Lussey’s effort just before the break, Liverpool were undone nine minutes from time when Reading struck again.

Inglethorpe’s side came into the game brimming with confidence having thumped Wolves 4-0 last week but the manager says they were missing the same killer instinct on Monday.

“We just lacked a cutting edge,” he told the ECHO. “I thought we played better on Monday night then we did against Wolves but we just had a good 10 or 15-minute spell in that game where it clicked for us.

“But on Monday, crosses didn’t quite go in, we didn’t have the domination in the areas we’ve had in previous games but also fair play to Reading. They were a bit more experienced than us and had a few first-team players and lads who have been in and around the League and they had a few debuts under their belts. That probably, in the end, told a little bit.”

Striker Jerome Sinclair and full-back Jordan Williams were making their first starts at U21 level on Monday night and Inglethorpe was keen to stress the relative inexperience of his side.

“Our team was very young and we’ve been young from day one,” he said.

“Jerome Sinclair is a first-year scholar, he’s only 17, Jordan Rossiter is a scholar, Jordan Williams is a scholar, Lloyd Jones is a scholar and Pedro Chirivella is a scholar as well. And sometimes we forget how young these boys are and that they still have plenty of time to develop.

“There is a big thing is that you have to recognise. Of course we want to win every game but if we were desperate to win every single game then Ryan McLoughlin, Michael Ngoo, Jack Robinson, Andre Wisdom, Jordan Ibe and Connor Coady wouldn’t be on loan.

“What we are desperate to do is provide a pathway and a career for our young players here and with every player that goes out and given League exposure, it is a feather in the cap for the U21s.”

The U21s are back in action on Friday night when they travel to face West Ham (7pm).